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There are many things for which a commercial construction company like Frare Gallant exist in Montreal is renowned, from its busy summer festival scene to the glistening white ski hills of nearby Mont Tremblant. Famously, Montreal is also known for its vibrant restaurant scene, filled with culinary delights from quite literally any cuisine in the world. Infamously, it’s also known for the tedious duration of its road construction season, which is offset by its extensive and active residential, business, and commercial construction industry. 

 

When it comes to a commercial construction company that marries two of Montreal’s most recognizable characteristics, food, and construction, look no further than Frare Gallant. With decades of experience in construction in the industrial, commercial, and agri-food industries, Frare Gallant has the expertise to ensure your production facility is established quickly and is running efficiently. From small to medium-sized operations to large, grand-scale facilities, Frare Gallant’s long list of notable and satisfied clients stands as a testament to their competence and professionalism. 

THE MCDONALD’S TRIO

 

If ever you’ve dropped by the McDonald’s next to the Bell Center before or after a Canadiens game for a quick Big Mac trio and marveled at the sleek, contemporary, and clean design and construction, thank the team at Frare Gallant for their efforts! One of the restaurant’s most prestigious locations in the country, the team had to work within accessibility restrictions and other ongoing construction projects in the area to deliver this mid-to-large-sized complex project by the deadline and within the allocated budget.

 

YOUR DAILY CUP OF JOE

 

They say money makes the world go round, but it definitely needs a cup of coffee to get it off and running in the morning. The team at Frare Gallant was proud to help GMCR (Keurig) jump-start your day in their new lavish and sprawling business offices. In partnership with Keurig, the team’s attention focused on efficient solutions in the areas of both production and energy savings; going green and taking our planet into account was of vital importance for both companies!

THE HEALTHY OPTION

 

If you’re looking for a healthier option to snack on, perhaps a nice cup or bowl of yogurt would hit the spot? Frare Gallant used its extensive expertise as a specialized agri-food construction company to complete two massive projects for Liberté. The first was a building expansion that allowed for the installation of new yogurt production equipment and was completed while the rest of the facility remained operational. The second was a brand new installation that was mainly related to food processing of dairy products, refrigerated storage, the delivery and storage of milk, processed water treatment, and the installation of the production equipment.

 

Without a doubt, if you’ve got a small, medium, or large-sized agri-food construction project looming on the horizon, there’s only one construction company to contact for efficiency, experience, expertise, and excellence: Frare Gallant.

 

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The construction project has undergone some modifications since 2019 and is being carried out with the financial support of Investissement Québec, Desjardins Entreprises and the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ). The $8 million investment will enable the Laganière brothers to significantly increase their production capacity to meet the Québec market and international demand. Read More

Our team’s work has already begun for Saladexpress, which has invested $5 million in the construction of a refrigerated annex and a preparation area for vegetable sets with garnish in its Saint-Rémin (Montérégie) plant. Frare & Gallant is pleased to participate in the transformation of the plant of a major player in the processing of vegetables and salads! The work is scheduled to be completed in March 2021.

This project features high standards for sustainable development and accessibility, with the environmental aspect being a priority. Read More

On May 16, Frare & Gallant’s team and honourable guests celebrated 40 years of hard work, passion and excellence.

The company welcomed its customers and partners to its warehouse beautifully decorated with curtains and lights. More than 300 people from various industries – pharmaceutical, food, real estate, health and wellness – enjoyed high quality Italian cuisine, music, meetings and inspiring conversations. Frare & Gallant President John Frare took the stage to thank his guests and his determined team, “We want to continue to provide a quality product to our customers and offer excellent service while respecting established budgets,” he stated. Frare & Gallant to become a leader in the construction industry by upholding their company values – excellence, listening, respect, surpassing and passion.

In addition to offering impeccable customer service at all times, Frare & Gallant prides itself on offering a 360° approach in all its projects. Indeed, whether it is a question of managing construction or industrial maintenance projects, F&G meets all its customers’ needs. The company gets involved at any desired stage, whether it is for a total project management (turnkey) or to work in collaboration, hand in hand with the customer (fixed price). The very fact that the company has the ability to take charge of an entire project allows it to perform at any stage when it has a more specific and defined role to play.

The expertise F&G has acquired over the years allows it to offer its services in various sectors such as commercial, institutional, pharmaceutical and office space. Regardless of the field, F&G has major clients who have repeatedly trusted them on various projects. Likewise, the industry for which F&G has made a name for itself is the agri-food industry. Indeed, F&G has affirmed its expertise in the field, and can offer services such as the construction of an agri-food building or a factory as well as renovation or expansion work. The company has the necessary know-how and training to carry out these projects in sterile and efficient environments. Business Development Manager, Stéphane Desmarais, explains: “Our philosophy is to carry out our work in operational factories without affecting daily production”.

F&G also stands out for its adherence to the most stringent regulatory requirements. The company carries out custom-made, high quality construction projects, while emphasizing the highest safety standards in the field (HACCP, GFSI, FQDI & SQF).

One of the founding pillars that has taken the company forward is passion. Indeed, each employee has an innate passion for construction, which only reinforces the company’s determination towards its objective of success and loyalty. F&G employees are, in fact, its best ambassadors.

The company’s philosophy towards its customers is not to aim for a one-time project. It is based on a long-term relationship with customers, reinforced by a strong human relationship, successful project delivery and outstanding after-sales service. Frare & Gallant’s success is based on its values, its ability to understand its customers’ needs and its desire to see beyond them. All these ideas can only be supported by a strong organizational culture. Indeed, F&G’s founders are proud of the respectful, family-like environment they have created and managed preserved throughout their continuous growth. “There’s really a great atmosphere, it’s very nice to come in on Monday morning and see the team again,” said Luc Cusson, Partner and Vice President of Business Development.

Happy workers are at the heart of F&G’s success. “Over the past five years, Frare & Gallant’s turnover and team have doubled,” concludes John Frare with a smile. “We’re going to keep outdoing ourselves and taking our customers further!”

Choosing a good construction contractor is always important, especially when it comes to carrying out work while maintaining functional operations. As you know, construction and food requirements don’t always necessarily “get along well”! Here’s a quick guide to help you find the right general contractor for your construction or renovation project of an agri-food building.

How to choose your general contractor for complex work

Make sure to evaluate each entrepreneur according to these criteria:

• Compliance to registration;
• Expertise in agribusiness;
• Previous experience in similar projects;
• Financial capacity;
• References.

Compliance to registration:
Is the Industrial Construction General Contractor a member of the RBQ (Régie du Bâtiment du Québec)? This is essential to ensure an industrial factory renovation is done by government standards.

Expertise in agribusiness:
Do they have any experience in industrial construction projects in the agri-food sector? If so, it is essential that the selected general contractor has a very good knowledge of the standard requirements of the industry (BRC, HACCP, GFSI, SQF, etc.).

It may seem simple to build an agri-food factory, but there are a lot of details that need to be considered, such as:

• Choosing methods for laying materials;
• Preparing the management plan to eliminate cross-contamination;
• Designing “invisible” elements, such as plant ventilation , underground drainage, floor slopes, etc.

Previous experience in similar projects

An experienced general contractor will be able to properly manage the project and take all the necessary precautions to carry out the work while maintaining operational production activities. In order to successfully reconcile the expansion and/or renovation work without stopping the production line, the general contractor, e.g. Frare & Gallant, must first listen to their client to understand their  specific needs and analyze all possible options before starting a project.

Sound project management will include:

• Defining the extent of the works as well as the means available for the execution;
• Exemplary job planning with consideration for the client’s constraints (production operational requirements);
• Perfect communication of the proposed program, which is adapted to the constraints, to the client’s various stakeholders;
  organized site to control the risks of contamination that may be caused by the work (e.g. defining and isolating the worksite, ensuring negative ventilation of the work area, maintaining the site, the traffic areas and other areas of the plant clean and organized, and ensure business continuity during renovations).

During your research, you will also see that some industrial builders offer services and are specialized in emergency work (24/7). This is a good sign that the general contractor is able to organize work efficiently, even when facing unforeseen circumstances.

Financial capacity
Choosing the right business partner is important, even more so when they need to collaborate with you for a long time and take all necessary means to ensure quality performance. You will understand that carrying out the work according to strict rules and processes is essential to minimize the risks of unintentional interruptions in production or even worse, contamination of the premises!

References
Do not hesitate to ask your selected contractor to provide you with a list of similar projects carried out as well as references. Do not simply contact their clients to find out their level of satisfaction with the work the contractor has done. Although, their comments will be useful to you, and will possibly reassure you and support your choice!

Finally, choosing the contractor could also include other elements, such as:

• Their respect for the environment;
• The ability of the contractor’s team members to find options to reduce the cost of implementation;
• The project management tools available to the contractor;
• The contractor’s knowledge of your business and its requirements;
• The contractor’s ability to reconcile construction and production equipment.

Choosing a general contractor means making sure they meet standards, are as safe as possible, and offer a variety of services to reflect our needs. At Frare & Gallant, general contractor for 40 years, our experience, services and consideration ensure optimal management of your industrial construction project being carried out while meeting the highest standards of the industry.

Consumers, such as those from Quebec, are placing more and more importance on the traceability, the origin and the quality of what they eat.

During the construction, renovation or expansion of a factory or a building, an agri-food company must be able to maintain the quality of its production. And meet the evolving requirements standard for mass retailing and food safety.

Before starting an agri-food construction project, you must be prepared to meet the obligation to produce safe, good quality food.

Regulations impose specific production and conservation conditions on industries. In Quebec, agri-food companies are themselves collaborating in creating new legislation on traceability, and are thus constantly improving the quality of food.

In the case of an agri-food construction project, a factory / warehouse expansion, or an agri-food building renovation, it is essential that food safety standards be met. In terms of regulation, it is important to manage and develop the performance of products, services and organization: maintaining production while carrying out an agri-food construction project is an issue that many companies are facing.

A general contractor in agro-industrial construction must be able to ensure the continuity of the factory production line, whether it’s a renovation or an expansion of work. Solutions exist to guarantee the maintenance and quality of the production line, such as the “Works, Time & Materials” service offered by some contractors, making it possible to provide material resources and the labour required in this context.

Transparency in risk management in the areas of quality, hygiene and food safety is very important. Many standards exist in Quebec: they provide guarantees for foodstuffs and the systems in place to control hygiene and the quality of products. Thus, selecting an agri-food manufacturer is based on various mandatory aspects, and the final choice comes down to respecting standards and regulations.

An agri-food construction contractor must have different training, and should respect recognized standards.

HACCP

Food security is a real challenge for all companies involved in this field. To meet the needs of the industry in terms of agri-food construction, the aim of HACCP accreditation is to know, define and prevent dangers of any kind concerning food safety.

Risk analysis, critical control points, food safety hazard prevention: the Canadian Food Inspection Agency ensures your production complies with regulations.

Thus, entrusting an agri-food construction project to a general contractor who meets HACCP standards ensures that production meets the requirements for your industry.

SQFI

The role of the Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI) is to verify the systems in place for the control of food safety. SQFI certification, recognized by the GFSI, guarantees control over evaluation standards, while adding a quality component that other certifications do not have.

Choosing an agri-food or agro-industrial construction contractor who meets SQFI standards ensures the quality of the production chain, as well as food safety. Thus, as part of your construction, renovation or agribusiness expansion, your contractor will guarantee that the quality of production that your company was able to implement initially will continue, in accordance with the most stringent standards for your industry.

GFSI

The Global Food Safety Initiative is one of the key players in the agri-food industry; its role is to optimally define continuous improvement of food safety management systems.

Your agri-food construction company must comply with the standards dictated by the GFSI in order to guarantee your safety in your daily production  and in the work carried out in your factory or agro-food / agro-industrial building, from start to finish.

CTAQ

The Conseil de la transformation alimentaire du Québec (CTAQ) (Quebec council of food processors) is an institution that represents and defends the interests of its members, with the aim of ensuring the sustainability of the food-processing sector in Quebec.

By selecting a general contractor who is a member of the CTAQ, you will be assured of his expertise in all areas of the food industry: bakery, water, maple industry, micro-distillery, poultry, etc. Your agri-food manufacturer and CTAQ member will be able to meet your specific requirements and constraints related to your sector of the industry.

ISN

The ISN network collects information about the safety standards and performance of construction companies, and submits them to suppliers or other companies. The goal is to facilitate the connection between manufacturers, their stakeholders and their customers, by simplifying the communication of the information needed to carry out any type of project (insurance documents, certifications, safety programs and standards).

Cognibox

Your agri-food construction contractor must ensure that his subcontractors are qualified, in order  to reduce risks and improve health and safety performance. By working with Cognibox, your general contractor proves the quality and competence of his workforce, which is selected to meet your specific requirements.

Complyworks

This system allows your agro-industrial manufacturer to manage the compliance of their workforce, subcontractors and workplaces.

Coupled with Cognibox, the Complyworks solution ensures that the contractor selected for your construction, renovation or agri-business expansion will provide you with an expert workforce, trained, and able to set up a business environment with safe construction and in accordance with the strict regulations for this field.

Streamlining its operations provides savings in time and money.

Through the expertise of this qualified workforce, you ensure that the intervention of your builder will be effective and the work can start quickly, in compliance with all the constraints imposed.

It’s really essential to choose the right contractor in terms of meeting requirements for certifications and training programs. Some agro-food and agro-industrial construction companies comply with all these training requirements and certifications. In Quebec, Frare & Gallant, general contractor in Laval, is the leader in agri-food and agro-industrial construction. The company makes every effort to offer the best solutions adapted to your needs. With its expert and multi-talented team, it will successfully carry out your construction, renovation and expansion projects.